Northeast Rail Heritage, Inc., a non-profit dedicated to preserving equipment in the northeast that previously saved an Amtrak AEM-7, announced in January that it has acquired the only remaining Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority Silverliner III car.

St. Louis Car Company built 20 Silverliner III cars for the Pennsylvania Railroad, which entered service in 1967. These cars later operated for Penn Central, Conrail, and finally SEPTA. The Silverliner IIIs served for 45 years and were synonymous with daily commuter operations around Philadelphia. The last one was retired from service in 2012. Car 238 was set aside for preservation, but it sat forgotten for more than a decade. In 2023, it was moved to Morrisville, Pa., for scrapping. However, logistical challenges prevented its immediate destruction, giving Northeast Rail Heritage the chance to save it. In July 2025, Sullivan’s Scrap Metals donated the car to NRH, which plans to restore it to its 1990s “Yellowbird” appearance. That livery helped promote SEPTA’s Airport Line service. 

“This car represents an era of railroading that millions of Philadelphia-area riders experienced firsthand,” said Mike Huhn, NRH President. “Preserving 238 ensures that an important chapter of Philadelphia-area transportation history is not lost. Our goal is to stabilize, cosmetically restore, and interpret the car for public education and potential display.”

In December, 238 was moved from the yard in Morrisville, where it had been stored, to an SMS Rail-owned facility. SMS has agreed to store both the Silverliner and the AEM-7 until NRH can acquire its own property (as of this writing, the AEM-7 has not yet been moved to SMS). 

For more information and to learn how you can help, visit northeastrailheritage.org. 

—Justin Franz